Irvine Public Schools Foundation announces fundraiser

The Foundation's goal, $500,00 by Dec. 31, would be used to support music programs and hire more teachers

By Elaine MurphyPublished: November 10, 2011 01:10 PM

The Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF) has launched its annual fundraiser, and aims to raise $500,000 by Dec. 31 of this year, as part of a larger campaign to raise a total of $900,000 for Irvine schools. If these goals are met, the amount will be matched by the city of Irvine, providing a potential total of $1.8 million to Irvine schools. The dollar-for-dollar matching grant is a result of Measure R, which passed on the Nov. 2010 ballot and allows the city to contribute money to its public schools.

Irvine School Board President Sue Kuwabara and Superintendent Terry Walker sent a letter to Irvine parents asking them to contribute $365, or $1 per day. In elementary schools, the funding will be used to hire additional instructional assistants and support music programs. At the middle school and high school level, the funds will be allocated to reduce class sizes, improving student-to-teacher ratios and hiring more teachers. The money will also be used to acquire modern teaching methods and technology.

In the letter, Kuwabara and Walker said, “If you’ve ever considered making a donation to preserve excellence in the classroom, or even to help maintain the property values that are linked to our schools’ performance, now is the time to contribute,” said Kuwabara and Walker in the letter.

IPSF CEO Neda Zaengle said, “Education funding in California continues to rank at the bottom in comparison to other states. The Irvine community has consistently shown that it values education and we are asking for everyone’s support as we raise much-needed funds for our schools.”